Preparing for Winter Art Lessons

I'm trying a new project this year that I found on the dickblick website. It's a great way to teach students how to conceptualize the transformation of a 2D drawing into a 3D sculpture. The dickblick instructional video can be seen here: 3D sculpture

 The wire used is soft and very easy to manipulate, but cut ends should be wrapped w/duck tape for safely.

For the first example I used a very simple contour drawing.

Then I shape the wire in the form of the contour drawing adding shape and dimension.

Next, the sculpture is covered with tissue paper or other decorative papers.

This finished piece is simple and cute.

This example is a little more complex but the same process.

The final pieces may be displayed by hanging from a ceiling or be designed to sit on a table.

Here's Nikki and Erin working on their projects.

This turtle was made my Emily grade 7.

Rachel grade 6.

Whitney grade 6.

Maeve grade 7.

A Snowy Morning Working in My Studio

I promise this blog will share my current projects, future experiments and many of my creative endeavors. But for today I am going to post a magical moment from this mornings studio time. It wasn't the work itself that was magical but what happened outside my studio window.

I have a little friend, she is a white squirrel that lives in our neighborhood and frequently graces our garden. I always get a thrill when I see her as I think of her as a magical little fairy (compared to the common grey varieties). 

This morning as I was working at my pottery wheel trimming bowls, I saw my little friend sitting in the gutter above our chicken coop. She looked so sweet as the snow gently fell around her.

I quickly grabbed my camera and here's what followed.

Her arch enemy chased her...

But not for long!

Clearly, she is Queen of the mountain/chicken coop.